Homework Doesn't Seem So Bad Anymore...

Something I have never truly experienced in my 19 years of life is what it feels like to worry about money. I've always been fortunate enough to have plenty of warm clothes to wear, good food to eat, medicine when I'm sick, and a roof over my head. Not to mention the countless other luxuries and opportunities that I have been given. My parents have always set a good example of what it's like to work hard, but they've never let us kids see how truly hard they must work to provide us with everything we take for granted. I have had the benefit of attending private school my entire life (including college), was provided with a car to drive when I turned 16, and have taken many vacations with both family and friends. Until now, these were all things that I believed were part of any normal childhood. However, my experiences in Chicago have taught me that this is far from the truth. Meeting new people from all around the country and from all different backgrounds has made me more aware of how truly fortunate I am.

Every summer for the past four years, I have had the opportunity to participate in a mission trip through St. Mary's. We have traveled to Michigan, Kansas, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina repairing and rebuilding homes for people trapped in poverty. While these trips have always given me a new perspective on life, the effect is usually short-lived.

It wasn't until moving to Chicago and seeing the incredible homeless population that I realized all the blessings I've been given. Hardly a day goes by that I don't walk to the El and get asked for money, and after awhile it assumes a sort of normalcy. But sometimes, like on a particularly cold day like today, I remember that not everybody gets to return to their nice warm dorm room after attending classes which are helping to further their education.

Heck, only 1% of THE WORLD even goes to college. In a place like the good ol' US of A, the thought that a high school graduate wouldn't continue onto college is considered almost ludicrous. What we don't realize, however, is that we are the minority. To me, that is one minority that I consider myself blessed to be a part of, and I am doing my best to appreciate it everyday.
So, on that note, I'm going to go finish the homework that I am fortunate to have.